Who will be Durango’s Citizen of the Year?

Chamber names finalists for annual awards

The Durango Chamber of Commerce has announced the finalists for its annual awards ceremony to be held Jan. 24.

Nominees for the vaunted Citizen of the Year award are: Stan Crapo, owner of Star Liquors; Susan Lander, former executive director of the Women’s Resource Center and Music in the Mountains; and Peter Marshall, general manager of the DoubleTree Hotel.

“They are so qualified, and they all do so much,” Rita Simon, spokesperson for the chamber, said of the nominees.

Katherine Roser, founding executive director of the La Plata Open Space Conservancy, took home the award last year.

The Boys & Girls Club of La Plata County is a finalist for the Nonprofit of the Year award. The nonprofit lost the award in 2011 to the Women’s Resource Center, and is competing with the Durango Arts Center and Regional Housing Alliance of La Plata County for the honor at this year’s ceremony.

Alpine Bank, Ecosphere Environmental Services and Mercy Regional Medical Center are the nominees for Business of the Year.

Fasttrack Communications Inc., Durango Party Rental and Durango Urgent Care are the finalists for Small Business of the Year.

Chuck and Cheryl Carson, Julie Cordova and Larry Turner are the finalists for the Bill Mashaw Volunteer of the Year award, and the finalists for the Spirit of Durango award are Durango Elks Lodge No. 507, Irish Embassy Pub and The Lost Dog Bar & Lounge.

The awards ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. The Barbara Conrad Award, Morley Ballantine Award, Diplomat of the Year and Young Professional of the Year awards also will be presented.

Tickets can be purchased for $30 at the Durango Chamber of Commerce office, the Community Concert Hall box office or at www.durangoconcerts.com.